Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is already sending shockwaves through the political establishment after gaining access to the Treasury Department’s critical payment system, which processes approximately $5 trillion in annual government disbursements.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent authorized DOGE’s access following the abrupt departure of longtime Treasury official David Lebryk, who had repeatedly blocked Musk’s attempts to gain control. Lebryk announced his retirement after being placed on administrative leave, marking a significant shift in Treasury operations.
The payment system handles essential government functions, including payments for Social Security and Medicare. Industry experts are now warning that any disruption could trigger widespread economic instability.
However, Musk defended the move on his social media platform, X.
The Tesla CEO revealed that his team had discovered “payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed to always approve payments, even to fraudulent or terrorist groups.”
Musk claimed these officers “literally never denied a payment in their entire career.”
In a farewell letter to Treasury employees, Lebryk emphasized the critical nature of their work:
“The Fiscal Service performs some of the most vital functions in government. Our work may be unknown to most of the public, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t exceptionally important.”
Treasury official Mark Mazur reinforced the system’s traditionally apolitical nature, stating, “This is a mechanical job—they pay Social Security benefits, they pay vendors, whatever.”
“It’s not one where there’s a role for nonmechanical things, at least from the career standpoint. Your whole job is to pay the bills as they’re due,” he added.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, warned that “officials associated with Musk may have intended to access these payment systems to illegally withhold payments to any number of programs.”
Wyden later questioned whether granting Musk access was appropriate.
Over the weekend, two senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were placed on administrative leave after refusing DOGE access to their systems. Musk later took to social media, calling USAID “evil” and “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America.”
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